Method of and apparatus for separating materials



Aug. 23, 1932.

C. A. HALLAM ET AL METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING MATERIALS Original Filed Feb. 28. 1927 Patented Aug. 23, 1932 W STATES PATENT: OFFICE CECIL ALFRED HALLAM AND ROY PALMER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, .ASSIGNORSTO WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY,

TION OF NEW YORK METHOD or AND APPARATUS INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, Y., 'A. GORBORA- FOR SEPARATING MATEnIALs' Application filed February 28, 1927, Serial No. 171,580. iItenewed December 31, 1931. I "51 i This invention relates to a methodof and apparatus for separating materials, and more particularly to a method ofand apparatus for separating materials such as lead, copper and paper in the process of reclaim- "ing telephone cables which have become unservlceable.

Objects of theinvention are to provide an effective and efiicient method of and apparatus for separating materials.

"The invention contemplates a continuous process of separating difierent materials by taking advantage in the various steps of the difierent weights and sizes of individual units of the material to obtain complete separation. In accordance with one embodiment, the materials are first introduced into an air I current of a progressively decreasing velocity through which the heaviest materials are discharged against the current by gravity. The remaining materials are then introduced into a second air current of a lower,

vprogressively decreasing velocity through whichmaterials are discharged which were too light to be discharged in the first step.

After the largerparticles have been separated in this manner the materials are sub jected to several screening steps to effect fur ther separation of the materials.

It is believed that a complete understanding of the invention may be had by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompany mg drawing representing an embodiment of an apparatus by "which the method may bevpracticed to and paper in the reclamation of telephone cables, and in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation partially schematic in which some of the parts are shown in section illustrating a separating apparatus, and

Fig; 2 is a circuit diagram of a device for timing the operation of charging and ribscharging motors of a circulatory. separating device.

Referring to the drawing in which the same reference characters designate similar parts in the several views, a conveyor 4 is shown at the receiving end of the separating apparatus.

Before the material is delivered to the separating apparatus, itfi spassed through a-disintegrating device which maybe of thetype in which the lead sheath surrounding the cable core which is composed of a plurality of paper insulated copper wires isslit ontwo sides,

dividing the sheath in two halves afterwhich the sheath and the core are. cut into lengths approximately six inches long. This material is fed through an aperture 5 of the conveyor 4- and dropped upon an endless-conveyor belt 6 which is provided with anumber of .pro ections 7. .T he belt 6 travels at such a speed that i the materials will be thrown againsta reinforcing plate 8 located in an air pipe 9 with suchrimpact as to, separate and scatter the disintegrated parts in thepipe 9. A fan 12 is provided whose outlet extends into the lower end of the pipe 9., which serves to maintain an air current of such velocity in the pipe parts from dropping into the fan. The pipe 9 is constructedso as to have a progressively increasing cross-section for vthe purpose of; progressivelyreducing the velocity of the air 8 current, whereby the smaller particles of lead which may be mixed with the paper and copper are given .an opportunity to become liberated and permitted to drop back andescape through the outlet: 14. r a

From the pipe 9, the paper and copperare carried into ahopper 16 and the air fromjthe pipe is permitted toescape through aqstack '17 provided with a screen 18. .Thehopper ld discharges into a cutting mechanism 19 in which the remaining paper insulated copper wires are subjected to a thorough shredding, removing the paper from the copper wires and cutting the copper wires into lengths of; approximately one inch. 1 V 9 The material thus treated is conveyed from the cutting mechanism to a separating cham- 'ber 22 by means of an air current produced by a fan 23; The lower end of the separating chamber '22'is provided with an annular drum 24 in which an air pressure is maintained by 7 means of a fan 25 and which communicates with the separating chamber by means of an annular outlet 26. The'annular outlet 26 of the drum24 is frustrum-shaped with its apex directed'upwardly so as tocreate an upward air current of a high velocity in the restricted lower portion 27 of the separating chamber which is, however, lowerthanthevelocity in 10 the restricted portion of pipe 9.. The separate.

ing chamber 22 isrso constructed that various velocities will be encountered in the difi'erent' portions of the'chamber. When the material enters the chamber, the lighter portions will.

be carried upwardly-and the-heavier por tions will drop downwardly and through an exit 21 into any suitable receptacle. In the restricted portion 27 of the separating chamber, the velocityis such as to permit only the 2 copper particles to drop downwardly and the velocity in an: upper expanded portion of the chamber is such as to be suflicient to raise only the paper particles, If any copper particles are present in the chamber to which 2 paper is attached they will be suspendedand agltatedbetween the restricted and the eX- lpa'ndedportions of the chamber until they are separated when the'larger particles of copper will be dropped through the exit and the pa- 80 per and smaller particles of 'copper'or copper dust will be carried by an air'current into a rotary cylindrical sieve or screen.28.. The air from the separating ehamber'is permitted to pass into a stack 29 provided with a screen 85 Much'of the copper dust which is present in thep'aper willbe separated from the paper by the screen 28 which is rotated by a motor 34 and passed out'of an. exit 33 into suitable receptacle. The paper is discharged from the a) screen 28 to a hopper 35. e v

. v The lower end of the hopper 35 is connected to a pipe 36 in which is located a period-. ic'ally'operated gate 37. When the gate 37 e is opened, a fan-38 draws the material from the hopper into a circulatory system 39 "whereupon the gate 37 is again closed. A rotary disk'scr'een 42 operated by a motor 41. is located in the system' against which the paper and dust .are thrown. Some of the .50 dust will pass through the screen andthrough v60 through a screen 45 and thepaper is permitted to drop thoroughly cleanedthrough anexit 46 into any suitable receptacle. A :screen 47 is provided inthe circulatory system to permit the fan, 38 to draw air into 651thesystem and discharge the material when paper from the; circulatory system. The.

the gate 43 is in the charge the material. 7 e

The gates 37 and 43 are actuated by motors 48 and 49, respectively, which are operated in timed relation by a mechanism (Fig. 2) comprising a constantly rotated insulated disk 52 provided with a conducting strip 53 and a rack 54 which supports four carbon brushes 55 which successively contact. with the conducting stripasthe insulated disk is rotated. The conductingstrip: 53 isconnected to one side of any suitable source of elecf triccurrent (not'shown), while two of the brushes 55fare connected to each of the motors. A switch 51 may be interposed between the source ofcu'rrent and the motor control circuit. The motors 48 and- .49 may be of the type having double and oppositelywound proper position to disfields so that contacting. the conducting strip with one ofthebrushes would cause the motors torotate in a forward direction and contacting with the other of the brushes connected to the motor would operate the motor in a reverse direction. If the insulating disk shown in Fig. 2 is rotated in, a counter-clockwise direction, the conducting strip will first contact with a brush. of themotor 49 and 'energize the motor 49 to operate the gate 43 in suchra direction as to discharge the conducting strip will then contact withthe. second brush of the motor 9,reversing its direction and closing the gate 43. Immediately thereafter. the insulating strip' will,

come in contact with the first brush of 1110-. tor 48, energizingthe motor 48't'o open the gate 37 and allowing a new charge to enter the system. I The conducting strip will then contact with the, last brush of'the'm'otor v48,

reversing its direction and causing it to again A close the gate 37; The motors will then remain .deenergized until the disk completes the revolution during which time the material is allowed to circulate through the system to remove allot the dust therefrom as. described above.

of the invention herein described and illus trated is merely a convenient and useful form of the invention which is capable of many other modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the. invention. What is claimed is: I

,"LA method of separating the lead, copper, and paper'of disintegrated telephone cables, which consists of subjecting the disintegrated material to an upward current of such velocity as to elevate the copper and paper but of insufiicient velocity to, elevate the lead, further disintegratingthe paper, and copper to remove all of the paper from the copper, and subjecting the paperand copper to a second upward current of air of such velocity as to elevate the paper and drop'the copper fromthe current.

p It will be understood, that theembodiment izo' 2. A method of separating the lead, copper, and paper of disintegrated telephone cables, which consists of subjecting the disintegrated material to an upward current cables, which consists of subjecting the disintegrated material to a high velocity air current to'remove the paper covered copper wires from the lead, disintegrating the copper wires and removing all of the paper therefrom, subjecting the copper and paper to a high velocity air current'to remove the paper and some of the copper dust from the copper wires, and separating the paper and copper 'dust by successive screening operations.

4. A method of separating the lead, copper, and paper of disintegrated telephone cables, which consists in subjecting the par ticles thereof to impact in the presence of an air current, subjecting the resulting material to a force which is capable of elevating all but the lead against gravity, subjecting the remaining material to. a second force which is capable of elevating all but the larger copper particles against gravity,

and separating the smaller copper particles from the remaining material by successive screening operations. I

5. In an apparatus for separating the lead, copper, and paper of disintegrated telephone cables, an impact member, an upwardly inclined endless conveyor positioned and designed to discharge material against the impact member with sufficient velocity to subject the material to disintegrating impact, means for maintaining an upward air current adjacent the impact member of sufiicient velocity to elevate all except the lead, and means for collecting the elevated .material. 4

6. In a separating apparatus for strand material consisting of heavier and lighter particles, a separating pipe, a plate disposed in the pipe, an endless conveyor adapted to discharge material against the plate with sufficient Velocity to subject the material to disintegrating impact, means for maintaining an air current in the pipe of suflicient velocity to elevate all but the free particles of the heavier material, a separating chamber having an upwardly increasing cross-section, and means for maintaining an upward air current in said chamber of suflicient strength to suspend and separate adhering particles of heavier and lighter material.

In witness whereof, we hereunto subscribe our names this 6th day of February, A. D.

CECIL ALFRED HALLAM. BOY PALMER. 

